Natural hazards · Nags Head

Nags Head, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nags Head comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2,116 claims here since 1980. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Nags Head?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nags Head to be higher than in 98% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes83%Inland flooding8%Coastal flooding5%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Nags Head faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Hurricanes

83% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

8% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 14% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Coastal flooding

5% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Nags Head flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Nags Head, from FEMA’s records.

2,116paid claims since 1980

$33.2Mpaid to owners

191homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isabel: 341 claims, $6.9M
Hurricane Irene: 187 claims, $3.5M
The “Halloween” storm: 182 claims, $2.4M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 4 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (63) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Nags Head is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Dare County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

5homes raised above flood level

3buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Nags Head

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Nags Head itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Nags Head.

Brought FEMA money into Nags HeadDeclared for Dare County only

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$9.4M to the Town of Nags Head for repairs

2018

Tropical Storm Michael

$25K to the Town of Nags Head for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

$12K to the Town of Nags Head for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

110 households applied for aid $89K aid approved $12.3M to the Town of Nags Head for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

133 households applied for aid $158K aid approved $289K to the Town of Nags Head for repairs

2010

Hurricane Earl

$11K to the Town of Nags Head for repairs

2005

Hurricane Ophelia

$4K to the Town of Nags Head for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

80 households applied for aid $22K aid approved $5.4M to the Town of Nags Head for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$151K to the Town of Nags Head for repairs

1999

Hurricane Dennis

$238K to the Town of Nags Head for repairs

Dare County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Nags Head covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Nags Head’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Nags Head. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Nags Head total about $12.8M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.